Judo coach guilty of attacking couple (From Southend Standard)

Judo coach guilty of attacking couple

8:00am Friday 21st September 2012 in News By George Thorpe

A TEACHER and judo instructor was slapped with a 120-hour community order after attacking a husband and wife at a comedy night.

Adam Hutchins, 34, of Rochester Mews, Westcliff , who teaches IT at Shoeburyness High School , was handed the sentence at Southend Magistrates’ Court yesterday for two counts of assault by beating.

On March 31, Hutchins, who also runs Akita judo clubs in Southend, Rayleigh and Barling Magna, hit both Deborah and Richard Burgess after attending a comedy gig at the Bell pub, in Prince Avenue, Southend.

Hutchins had denied the charges, but was later found guilty through a trial at the same court.

Keith Rylands, representing the Crown Prosecution Service, told the court that at the conclusion of the gig, Hutchins struck Mrs Burgess in the stomach before hitting Mr Burgess on the arm.

Mr Rylands said: “He wandered past Mrs Burgess at the bar and she believes he called her “fat”, along with other words, before striking her in the stomach, which exacerbated a hernia scar.

“Hutchins then went into the men’s toilets, where he directed verbal abuse at Mr Burgess.

“This verbal abuse became physical as Hutchins swung his forearms at him, raining down blows on Mr Burgess’ forearms, which he had put up to protect himself.”

Magistrate Elizabeth Ross said even though the defendant seemed remorseful for his actions, the community order was still necessary.

Ms Ross said: “What you have been convicted of is serious enough to merit the community order.

“Within this sentence, we have taken into consideration you are clearly remorseful and your ongoing belief that what you did was wrong.”

On top of the unpaid work, Hutchins will pay £50 compensation to both victims, along with £620 costs.